Entries with the tag: jimmy howard

When it comes to the Vezina Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL’s best goaltender after every season, there is one netminder who has been up for it three times and has yet to win.

With the way this particular goaltender is playing right now, fate might have a different answer for him come near the end of June. Of course, I am talking about New York Rangers’ goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

The 29-year-old netminder has simply been outstanding for the Blueshirts this season. In 28 games, the “King” is 17-7-4 with a 1.92 goals against average (GAA), a .937 save percentage and 3 shutouts.

As a goaltender myself, I cannot help but appreciate what Detroit Red Wings netmider Jimmy Howard has done for his hockey club this season.

In 21 games this season, the 27-year-old netminder is 15-5-1 with a 1.83 goals against average, a .931 save percentage and 3 shutouts. His statistics have Howard first in the league in wins, 2nd in the league in both goals against and shutouts and 8th in the league in save percentage.

When it comes to goaltenders and Detroit, netminders are typically scrutinized. Tim Cheveldae was booed out of town, Mike Vernon was almost ran out of town after losing to the New Jersey Devils in the 1995 Stanley Cup Final and of course, Osgood was also carefully looked at because of the awful timing his soft goals would come and Manny Legace was also heavily scrutinized, especially when it came to the postseason.

With that said, all of these netminders ended up succeeding in one way or another, with the exception of Cheveldae of course, and right now, it looks like Howard is ready to do something special for the Wings. Howard never gives up on a play, is in position for second and third shots and knows how to control the game with his excpetional confidence.

New York Rangers’ fans probably figured that tonight’s game would come down to the team’s power play and they were certainly right.

Unfortunately for Blueshirt fans, the game did not end well as the team lost 3-2 to the Detroit Red Wings at the Joe Louis Arena while wasting a 5-on-3 turning into a 5-on-4 for the last few minutes of the hockey game. It was a game in which the Rangers’ fired 47 shots on Wings’ goaltender Jimmy Howard but could not get the one behind Howard that would tie the game.

You cannot blame this game on Rangers’ netminder Martin Biron. Biron was stellar between the pipes for the Blueshirts in making 32 saves and once again giving his team every opportunity to win a hockey game.

And yes, the team did get goals from Derek Stepan and Brandon Dubinsky but where was Marian Gaborik? Where was Wojtek Wolski? Where was Vinny Prospal? And again, where the heck was the power play?